What are small brown insects in my kitchen? This is the right place for you because we have prepared the right answers to this question.
- Nobody wants bugs in their homes, but sometimes they are inevitable. There are many pantry bugs common in our kitchen, stores, and other parts of our household.
But today I want to address the small brown insects that are slowly become a menace in our homes.
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What Are Small Brown Insects In My Kitchen?
The small brown insects in your kitchen could be the many kinds of pantry bugs in our houses. There are many bugs that are brown in colour and more likely to be found in our kitchen.
- Most of these bugs are harmless but their infestation in our kitchen and particularly in our food is totally unwelcome.
- Though most of them cause no damage when consumed, it is highly discouraged since we cannot tell the possible outcome on your health.
I have identified a few of this brownish insects, their life cycle, and other characteristics. This will help you spot the actual insect in your kitchen.
1. Beetle
This beetle is very common in our kitchens. Apart from kitchens, they are also found in food storage areas.
- If you leave your flour, cereals, spices, vegetables, or even drugs open, don’t be surprised to find these beetles enjoying the meal.
They thrive well in temperatures above 23° C reproducing up to 5 times or more per year. However, their reproduction goes down if the temperatures go below 15°C.
Keep your flour and packaged food tightly sealed if you really want to keep this pest out of your kitchen.
2. Silverfish
How do you know that brownish insects in your kitchen are silverfish? Well, silverfish has a colour ranging from white to brown-grey and others are bluish-silver in colour.
- You can also identify them by their teardrop shape. And last but not least, you can identify them by their rear 3 long bristles.
Silverfish thrive in dark and also humid areas. Unlike other pantry bugs, silverfish targets where there are books and papers.
Due to their love for the humid and moist areas, you are most likely to find them in leaking kitchen sinks and bathrooms among other moist areas.
- Toilets are also other areas you can find them as well as wardrobes because of clothes.
Though they don’t pose any serious threat to humans, their presence in the kitchen and other home areas is irritating.
3. Ticks
This is a tiny brown parasite that bugles after sucking blood. You are only likely to find them in your home if you have pets around. This is because they hardly move around unless with the help of a host.
- Unlike other bugs in our homes, ticks are parasites and also harmful. In the event that they suck blood from the host, either humans or pets, they can transmit Lyme disease.
They have 3 life cycles and in each case, they need to suck blood for survival. There are also very many species but in most cases, the adult stage is not so much active as the male dies after mating and the female lays eggs for the next cycle.
4. Granary weevil
This is also another brown insect that you are likely to find in your kitchen. In most cases, this granary weevil is found in food stores and kitchens.
You can also find them in beans, rice, macaroni, and spaghetti, nuts.
- The egg is laid in the grain where it hatches into larvae and feeds the inside of the grain. Though most of these weevils are small, their size also highly depends on the grain size.
They are found in almost all parts of the world and their economic significance cannot be ignored.
5. Cockroaches
These are rather small insects that are reddish-brown in colour. You can also identify them by their oval body that is also flattened.
- They also have two long antennae and spiny legs.
They are some of the most stubborn pantry bugs in homes. You will literally find them almost in every area in your house, closets, and stores.
Are these bugs harmful?
It is normal to get scared about the harm that can be caused by these insects. However, it is important to note that most of these bugs are harmless.
- At some point, you may find yourself eating such bugs without your knowledge. There is no need for getting scared though it should not be entertained.
In the case of ticks, they are parasitic and also harmful because they suck blood and can even cause Lyme disease.
How do you get rid of small house brown bugs?
1. Cleaning
If you have already identified the specific brown insects in your kitchen, the immediate question is how to control them.
Most insects thrive in damp and dirty environments. Keeping your kitchen clean and properly sanitized minimizes the chances of survival for most pests.
2. Disposing of infected food
If your feed is infected, one of the best ways of stopping any further multiplication of the pest is through disposing of the infected feed.
3. Using traps
A UV home trap will be most convenient to use to get rid of the pantry bugs. The insect control KATCHY trap is also very safe for use indoors.
This trap lures the insects through ultraviolet light and though it does not necessarily kill them it traps them and also helps reduce their population.
- Silverfish are very tricky bugs to control because of their hideouts and complexity. Despite, the challenges to control it, you can still use insecticides to do it. Of most importance is to watch over kids and pets within your house.
Ticks can be controlled by using acaricides in farms but this cannot be applied in our homes because of its effects and strong smell. Therefore if you have a large infestation of your home, I would recommend contacting a vet officer to deal with the issue.
Final Thoughts
What are small insects in my kitchen? The highest probability is that you are having pantry bugs in your kitchen.
- These insects could be beetles, weevils, and silverfish among other bugs that have the same resemblance. A closer look at them and from some description given can tell what they really are.
If indeed these are pantry bugs, you can employ the appropriate control measures given or even others that are favourable to you.